Drain Cup Assembly for an Ice, Water and/or Beverage Dispenser System

ABSTRACT

A drain cup assembly comprising a drain cup cap and a drain cup are provided, adapted for mating engagement with each other, whereby a plurality of water discharge conduits ma deliver water into the drain cup through the drain cup cap, with cup sidewalls able to deflect water droplets having a lateral component of direction, toward the center of the cup and with lower ends of the conduits being spaced above a maximum overflow discharge level in the drain cup, for, in the event of overflow, water can be discharged via one or more overflow discharge openings around the upper end of the cup at the overflow discharge level, and wherein an air gap isolates drain water in the drain cup from water entering the drain cup from one or more water discharge conduits.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In dispenser systems for ice, water, or other beverages, wherein water is discharged therefrom via a water drain line, the water drain line can drain water from any of an ice making apparatus, a water delivery apparatus, an ice storage bin, a tray under an ice or water dispenser, and/or water formed from condensation. The water typically is delivered from any of the apparatus in the system through a water discharge conduit. Typically, the water discharge conduit, or a plurality of such conduits deliver water to an open-topped drain cup. Many such units have a vertical space forming an air gap between the bottom of the water discharge conduit and the drain cup. The water being delivered to the drain cup from one or more water discharge conduits is generally water that is desired to be free of micro-organisms, because of its proximity to areas of the system containing food or potable water. In such designs, water being delivered to a drain cup via one or more water discharge conduits can have a flow path that is not entirely vertical, into the drain cup, but, rather, can have a somewhat horizontal component of travel whereby it can miss the drain cup.

With limitations on space within such systems, often the drain cup cannot be sufficiently large in diameter to catch random drops of water from water discharge conduits, particularly if such droplets have a horizontal component of motion. Often, in such systems there is provided a fan, often rotatably driven, for providing cool air to heat-emitting components of a system, such as a refrigerant expansion valve, a condenser, etc. In the case of a fan creating a draft, such can contribute to a horizontal component of motion for drops of water leaving one or more water discharge conduits, compounding the likelihood of water leaving such conduits missing the interior of the drain cup disposed at some location therebeneath.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to providing, in an ice, water or beverage dispenser system, a drain cup assembly for receiving discharged water from one or more water discharge conduits. The drain cup assembly of this invention includes a drain cup and a drain cup cap. adapted to be fitted together, with the cap having one or more access ports in its top wall, which access ports extend into the cap for a distance, for receiving a water discharge conduit in each access port that is being utilized. The sidewall(s) of the cap and/or cup comprise an enclosure that can deflect water droplets having a horizontal component of direction, toward the center of the cup.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a drain cup assembly for receiving discharged water from at least one water discharge conduit, wherein the drain cup assembly includes a cup and a cap, having peripheries adapted for mating engagement with each other, with one or more access ports in the top wall of the drain cup cap, with each access port and any water discharge conduit therein terminating at a predetermined distance above an overflow discharge opening in the assembly, to create an air gap isolating drain water in the drain cup from water being delivered to the drain cup from one or more water discharge conduits.

It is another object of the invention that the lower end of the water discharge conduit, and/or the access port therefor terminates at a predetermined distance above an overflow discharge level for the drain cup, providing an air gap for isolating drain water in the drain cup from water being delivered to the drain cup from one or more water discharge conduits. The overflow discharge opening(s) can be around an upper end of the drain cup.

It is a further object of this invention to accomplish the above object, wherein there are a plurality of access ports, for accommodating a plurality of water discharge conduits.

It is a further object of this invention to accomplish the above objects, wherein any said access port includes a tubular sleeve in engagement about a water discharge conduit and extending beneath the top wall of the drain cup cap.

It is a further object of this invention to accomplish the above objects, wherein the drain cup assembly is constructed of a material or has an additive that inhibits growth of micro-organisms.

It is a further object of this invention to accomplish the above objects, wherein the drain cup and the drain cup cap are readily separable for any cleaning that may be desired.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art from a reading of the following Brief Descriptions of the Drawing Figures, the Detailed Descriptions of the Preferred Embodiments, and the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DRAWING FIGURES

FIG. 1 is a schematic of an ice, water or other beverage dispenser system, in which water is discharged via water discharge conduits, into a drain cup, in accordance with the prior art.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the drain cup assembly in accordance with this invention.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view, taken through the drain cup assembly of FIG. 2, generally along the section line III-III of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is an illustration similar to that of FIG. 3, but wherein water is illustrated entering the drain cup via water discharge conduits, with the drain cup full of water, and wherein water is illustrated overflowing from the drain cup via overflow discharge opening(s), outside the drain cup, in the event of a blockage that may occur in the water drain line from the drain cup.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view o the underside of the drain cup cap of this invention, illustrating, in particular with the drain cup cap having enlarged recesses along the four sides thereof which, together with upper portions of the drain cup, allow for discharge openings for discharge of water around the upper end of the drain cup.

DETAILED DESCRIPTIONS OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring now to the drawings in detail, reference is first made to FIG. 1, wherein an ice, water and/or beverage dispenser system of a prior art type is illustrated, comprising an enclosure 10, in which water is delivered thereto through a water inlet line 11, into a reservoir 12.

A refrigeration system is included, including an evaporator 13 having refrigerant passing through the exterior wall thereof (not shown) and leaving the evaporator to pass through a compressor 14 and then delivered is line 15 in the direction of arrow 16, to a condenser 17, and then through an expansion valve 18 to be returned via line 20 to the evaporator 13, as a closed refrigeration system.

Inside the evaporator 13 there is a freezing chamber 21 having a rotatable auger 22 there, motor driven at 23, whereby water entering the freezing chamber 21 via opening 24 at the lower end of the reservoir 12 passes from right to left as viewed in FIG. 1, during which the refrigerant in the freezing chamber 21 creates flakes of ice that are compressed as the auger delivers the flakes of ice leftwardly, for discharge of ice via conduit 25, to an ice retainer 26.

Ice from the ice retainer 26 may be discharged therefrom via nozzle 27, into a cup 28. Water being delivered via inlet line 11 may be delivered to a nozzle 30 for discharge into a cup 31. A tray 32 may collect water 33 therein, for discharge via a water discharge conduit 34, into a drain cup 35.

Similarly, water collecting in the ice reservoir 26 may pass via water discharge conduit 36 into drain cup 35. Additionally, water from the reservoir 12 may pass through the valve 37 to water discharge conduit 38, for deliver into the drain cup 35.

The drain cup 35 has a water drain line 40.

It will be seen that a fan 41, motor driven at 42 may provide cooling air for the condenser 17 and expansion valve 18, thereby creating a draft at the bottom of the enclosure 10, whereby droplets 43 of water may not enter the cup 35 disposed beneath the lower ends of the conduits 34, 36 and 38, because of a horizontal component of flow of the droplets, whereby significant amounts of water from the water discharge conduits 34, 36 and 38 may not enter the drain cup for eventual passage to a water drain line 40.

Referring now to FIG. 2 of the drawings, it will be seen that the drain cup assembly 50 of this invention is provided with a lower drain cup 51 and as drain cup cap 52.

The drain cup 51 and drain cup cap 52 are preferably constructed of as plastic material, preferably one having inherent properties that inhibit growth of micro-organisms, or in the alternative, the preferably thermoplastic materials of the drain cup 51 and drain cup cap 52 may be treated with micro-organism inhibiting substances.

The drain cup cap 52 has a top wall 53 and side wall(s) 54 on all four sides.

A plurality of access ports 55, 56 and 57 are provided in the top 53 of the drain cup cap 52. Each of the access ports 55, 56 and 57, is adapted to receive therein a water discharge conduit 58, 59, or 60, each of which water discharge conduits are shown in phantom in FIG. 2, for reasons of clarity.

A plurality, preferably four, of overflow discharge openings 61 are provided around the upper end of the drain cup, along the four sides thereof, as will be seen more clearly at the left sides of FIGS. 3 and 4 and as illustrated in the perspective of FIG. 5, where enlarged recesses 69 along the four undersides of the cap 52 allow for flow over the corresponding upper ends of the cup. Other than these discharge openings 61, the drain cup cap and drain cup are provided with peripheries for mating engagement together of the tongue-and-groove type, 62, as is shown most clearly on the right sides of the upper ends of FIGS. 3 and 4.

In FIG. 4, at the left side thereof, there is illustrated the flow of water around the overflow discharge openings 61 in the drain cup assembly 50, in the event of a blockage in water drain line 65.

The drain cup 51, as illustrated in FIG. 3, is provided with an upper portion 69 and a tapered or somewhat conical lower portion 64, terminating at its lower end in a water drain line 65. The arrows 75 in FIG. 3 depict deflection of direction of water droplets having a lateral component of direction, to deflect off the sidewall(s) of the cup 51, toward the center of the cup 51.

Each of the access ports, 55, 56 and 57 extends sleeve-like at 68 below the top 53 of the drain cup cap 52, in sleeve-like engagement to receive one of the water discharge conduits 58, 59 and 60, with the lower ends of the sleeves 68 and conduits 58-60 terminating at a distance “X” as shown in FIG. 3, above the overflow discharge level 70, which is the level at which water from the interior 71 of the drain cup will overflow outwardly via a plurality of discharge openings 61; preferably one on each of the four sides of the drain cup assembly, in the event of a blockage (not shown) in the drain cup line 65.

With reference now to FIG. 4, it will be seen that the water discharge conduits 58, 59 and 60, are shown delivering water 72 therethrough, into the drain cup 51, with the drain cup 51 being shown to be full of water at 71 in FIG. 4, up to the overflow discharge level 70, at which water 72 passes through the overflow discharge openings 61, to prevent the water 71 from hacking up into the water discharge conduits 58-60.

It will also be apparent that the drain cup and drain cup cap are readily separable at their peripheries for ease of cleaning, as may become necessary.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that various modifications may be made in the details of construction, as well as in the use and operation of the drain cup assembly of this invention, all within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. 

What is claimed is;
 1. In an ice, water or beverage dispenser system, wherein water is discharged therefrom via a water drain line, from any of an ice making apparatus, a water delivery apparatus, an ice storage bin, a tray under an ice or water dispenser and/or from condensation, via at least one water discharge conduit: (a) a drain cup assembly for receiving discharged water from the at least one water discharge conduit; (b) the drain cup assembly comprising a drain cup and a drain cup car; (c) the drain cup having an upper end and a lower end and sidewall(s); the upper end of the drain cup having a periphery adapted for mating engagement with a periphery of a drain cup cap; the lower end of the drain cup having a water drain line; (d) the drain cup cap having a lower periphery adapted for making engagement with the drain cup and having a top wall and sidewall(s); (e) at least one access port in the top wall of the drain cup cap; said at least one access port extending into the cap and connected to a water discharge conduit of the system; and (f) with the sidewall(s) of any of the drain cup and drain cup cap comprising means whereby water from the at least one water discharge conduit having a lateral component of direction can impinge upon any said sidewall(s) for deflection toward a center of the drain cup.
 2. The drain cup assembly of claim 1, wherein said at least one access port terminates within the cap at a predetermined distance above an overflow discharge level in the drain cup, with the overflow discharge level including at least one overflow discharge opening around an upper end of the drain cup; and with said predetermined distance comprising an air gap means isolating drain water in the drain cup from water in said at least one water discharge conduit.
 3. The drain cup assembly of claim 1, wherein there are at least 2 access ports in the drain cup cap, connected to two water discharge conduits of the system.
 4. The drain cup assembly of claim 1, wherein there are at least 3 access ports in the drain cup cap, connected to three water discharge conduits of the system.
 5. The drain cup assembly or claim 1, wherein there are a plurality of overflow discharge openings at a plurality of locations around the periphery of an upper end of the drain cup.
 6. The drain cup assembly of claim 1, wherein said at least one access port includes a tubular sleeve in engagement about a water discharge conduit; said tubular sleeve extending beneath the top wall of the drain cup cap.
 7. The drain cup assembly of claim 1, wherein said at least one access port includes a plurality of access ports, each including a tubular sleeve in engagement about a water discharge conduit; each said tubular sleeve extending beneath the top wall of the drain cup cap.
 8. The drain cup assembly of claim 1, wherein said drain cup and said drain cup cap are each comprised of a molded thermoplastic material.
 9. The drain cup assembly of claim 1, wherein a plurality of water discharge conduits, each in engagement with an access port in the top wall of the drain cup cap.
 10. The drain cup assembly of claim 2, wherein there are a plurality of overflow discharge openings at a plurality of locations around the periphery of an upper end of the drain cup; and wherein said at least one access port includes a tubular sleeve in engagement about a water discharge conduit; said tubular sleeve extending beneath the top wall of the drain cup cap, wherein there are a plurality of water discharge conduits, each in engagement with an access port in the top wall of the drain cup cap.
 11. The drain cup assembly of claim 1, wherein at least a lower portion of the drain cup is tapered toward said water drain line. 